Sirius froze.
"Come now, Padfoot, don't be like that. It'll be a pretty piss-poor reunion if one of us is pretending to be a stray dog the whole time," Harry told him, crossing his arms.
Sirius quickly resumed his human form. He looked better than Harry remembered, probably because he had escaped earlier and had three years of freedom under his belt before he came back in time. "Reunion?" he asked carefully. "What do you mean reunion? Harry Potter can't possibly remember me; I haven't seen him since he was an infant. Who are you?"
Harry smiled. "Harry Potter. But I think you've got your facts wrong. You haven't seen me since you tripped through the Veil of Death."
"I didn't trip through it!" Sirius protested indignantly. "Bellatrix hit me with a curse and while I admit that I probably should have been paying more attention, it could have happened to anyone and…Wait. How do you know-?"
"How do you?" Harry countered.
"I was there."
"So was I," Harry told him.
"You fell through the Veil, too? What, were you chasing me or something? I'd have thought that Moony would have had the sense to restrain you. He was standing right there. That's highly irresponsible, especially for him…" Sirius trailed off.
Harry snorted. "I hardly think you're one to lecture anyone else about responsibility, but, for the record, he did. No, I came through the Veil later."
"How much later?" Sirius asked.
Harry shrugged. "Eight years or so."
Sirius's eyes bulged out. "Eight years? That makes you, what? Twenty-three?"
Harry nodded. "Mentally, yes, although physically, of course, I'm closer to twelve."
"What happened? Did you defeat Voldemort? What did you come back? Did everyone die? Tell me everything," Sirius demanded.
"Well, um, Dumbledore got Snape to assist in his suicide at the end of sixth year but didn't bother telling anyone else about it so we all thought he was evil until right after he died at the end of what would have been my seventh year had Voldemort not taken over the Ministry half a month or so before school started. I spent most of the year on the camping trip from hell, a myriad of people died, including Remus, Tonks, and Fred, and I killed Voldemort after he killed me. Oh, and Remus and Tonks got married."
"…What was that last part?" Sirius asked.
"Remus and Tonks got married?" Harry repeated innocently.
"No, the other last part. The one about Voldemort killing you," Sirius clarified.
"Oh, well he killed me and I had a nice chat with Dumbledore's soul who informed me that just because I was imagining things it didn't make it not real and then I got better."
Sirius just stared at him.
"It gets better," Harry grinned. "Apparently I only survived because of the power of love."
Sirius groaned. "For the record, when you're telling this to other people, try to come up with an explanation that sounds more badass."
"Who says I'm telling other people?"
"But if you don't tell other people that you're from the future, how will they be prepared?" Sirius asked sensibly.
"What do they need to be prepared for? Things ended pretty decently last time, I married Ginny Weasley who was pregnant with my child at the time I left and Ron and Hermione got married. So, really, aside from Fred dying it was one big happy Weasley family. Molly was thrilled to bits, let me tell you."
"I can imagine," Sirius remarked wryly.
"Besides, if I can destroy the Horcruxes before Voldemort's rebirth then I just have to wait until he uses my blood to revive himself, let him kill me to get rid of the final Horcrux, come back and kill him."
"You make it sound so easy," Sirius muttered.
"I've got three years, I'll make it work. Are you up to helping me torch the Horcruxes?" Harry asked.
"Do you even have to ask?" Sirius asked. "Although I'm not quite sure how one goes about destroying Horcruxes except exposure to Dementors, Basilisk venom, and Fiendfyre."
"Exposure to Dementors? And how do you even know about Horcruxes anyway? They're supposed to be really obscure," Harry repeated, confused.
Sirius nodded. "Oh yes, Horcruxes are part of a wizard's soul and so a Dementor's Kiss can destroy it. And please, Harry, I'm a Black. Knowing about Horcruxes is just one of the many benefits of growing up in one of the darkest families in Britain."
"Guess so. Hey, do you know Fiendfyre?" Harry asked.
"I've never actually tried, but I've heard that with a little practice, any moderately powerful wizard can have some measure of control over it," Sirius told him.
"So can you start learning it? I would, except my wand is currently being monitored as I'm technically a minor and I want this out of the way as soon as possible. See if you can get it down by the end of the summer. And Sirius, whatever you do, you absolutely cannot tell anyone that I came back," Harry said seriously.
"Why not? Don't you trust your friends?" Sirius asked.
"It's not a question of trust, Sirius. It's just that if I start telling people then they'll be all like 'Harry, you're an adult and should really start acting like one. Besides, Snape is a hero, you really shouldn't be harassing him' and let me tell you, I had a lot of fun last year. I want to have fun this year and every year for the rest of my life. Once I tell people that I'm older than I appear, that fun goes out the window and I have to deal with responsibility," Harry wrinkled his nose at that. "Besides, then people will be pestering me about their futures and do you really think Remus and Tonks, Ginny and I, Ron and Hermione, or Bill and Fleur will get together if they know about it in the future? God know. Besides, Hannah is so shy now and Neville isn't anymore that it I told either of them about their future, I could destroy it. Nah, best to just let history continue naturally. Or, as naturally as I can, while still doing whatever I feel like," Harry amended.
Sirius snorted. "Now that's more like it. But while we're on the subject of doing whatever it is we feel like, how are we going to get me cleared? I'd rather it be sooner rather than later, personally, although I've had some fun this past year in Spain."
"Oh, so you did go to Majorca? And I think that once I get to the Weasley's, I can nab Wormtail and Voldemort's first Horcrux in one fell swoop. Can you wait two months or so until we go to Diagon Alley to shop?"
Sirius looked him straight in the eye. "I've waited fifteen years to clear my name. I think I can wait a little longer."
----
The next month and a half or so passed unbelievably slowly for Harry. He'd been getting mail, which was nice, but wanted to put off going to the Weasley's until after his birthday for two reasons. One, a quite meeting with Dobby. Two, it would be harder for him to meet with Sirius under Molly Weasley's watchful eye. It wasn't like he didn't like the woman, he did, it was just that she had a tendency to smother everyone with her love and he had long since outgrown the need for a mother.
He had been so bored that he actually took the time to follow through with his vague plan from the year before to try and mend his relationship with his blood relatives. And, surprisingly, it seemed to work. He had actually volunteered to help his Aunt Petunia around the house and shared with her some of Neville's gardening tips, which caused them to spend quite a bit more time together and made her grudgingly admit that he was earning his keep. She wouldn't admit to anything more, but he did notice a distinct improvement in her treatment of him. As for Dudley, that had been even easier. He just volunteered to play with him when his friends were busy and Dudley was far too thrilled to be able to play two-person computer games whenever he wanted to to risk upsetting Harry too much and forcing him to stick to one-person games. He highly doubted either of his relatives liked him any better, but at least he had to deal with less open hostility. His Uncle Vernon, no doubt still sore from the scene Harry made at the train station last year, just growled whenever Harry was in the room, as if he didn't trust himself to do anything else.
His friends were all also keeping him busy via letters. Harry was trying to convince Hermione that Lockhart was a fraud, Tonks to help break into Bellatrix's vault, Ron that being sorted into Slytherin wasn't an indication of evil, Ginny that he wasn't some sort of god, Neville that he should continue to show a backbone even though he was back with his relatives, Cedric to come play Quidditch with him once he was at the Weasley's (as they lived right by each other), Draco that knowing details about him that he had no business knowing (allegedly via his scar) was not the same thing as stalking, Percy to voluntary leave his room more often than just mealtimes, and the twins to 'teach' Ginny to ride a broom. Due to his persistence and utter boredom, these goals were coming along nicely, although Ron still wanted proof, Hermione still wanted an autograph, and Tonks still wanted more details. Harry was sure that Ginny would regress after coming face to face with him again, but she was actually managing to converse normally with him through their letters, now. It was really a good thing that Hedwig appreciated the workout, Harry reflected, because she was almost never at the Dursley's, which definitely helped ease relations on that front.
On the night of the Dursley's Dinner Party, which also happened to be Harry's birthday, but it's not like they really cared, Harry was going to be quite busy. The first thing he needed to do was to make sure he was out of the house when Dobby decided to pop by. Sure enough, eight on the dot, Dobby popped in front of Harry. Fortunately, Harry was sitting on a park bench with Sirius in dog form lying at his feet.
"Ah, Dobby, I was wondering if you'd make an appearance," Harry greeted him warmly. "Please, sit down. How's Draco doing? You can only tell so much from letters."
Dobby, who had been about to burst into tears at the fact that not only did Harry know his name, but he asked him to sit down like an equal when he realized what else the wizard had said. "D-Draco?"
"Yeah, you know, Draco Malfoy. The scion of the family you serve. How's he been?"
"How is Harry Potter knowing of-" Dobby began.
"Magic scar," Harry said simply.
"Ah, yes, Dobby has been hearing Master Draco complain very loudly about that," Dobby admitted. "But Dobby did not believe it."
"How else would I have known to ask Draco to order you to not steal my mail?" Harry asked rhetorically.
Dobby nodded; it was a good point.
"I don't think that you'd be required to punish yourself just for coming to see me, but either way, let me help you avoid any more self-inflicted injuries by informing you that I already know that Mr. Malfoy intends to give Ginny Weasley Tom Riddle's diary that will open the Chamber of Secrets and unleash a basilisk on Hogwarts. I can further promise you that I will always carry a mirror with me and that I won't do anything too stupid, but I will not promise not to go back to Hogwarts. If you use magic and disguise the signature as that of a wizard and so the Ministry sends a bloody owl no matter what the occupants of the house may be doing or who may be over, then they will start treating me like the Malfoy's treat you and it won't stop me anyway as my friends will just come to break me out," Harry explained calmly. "Although I do appreciate the sentiment."
Suddenly, a faint pop was heard as someone Apparated into the woods surrounding the park.
"Well, I hate to cut this short, but it looks like my next appointment just arrived. Hm, she's early…" Harry muttered. "So unless you want more witnesses, I'd suggest you get going. It was nice meeting you!" Harry said cheerfully as Dobby cast him a rueful look and Apparated away.
"I hope you know what you're doing Harry," Tonks said as she waked up to him. "Because we could get in serious trouble for this."
"I know, but it's important. It's the only way to make sure that Voldemort actually dies. I mean, having him just floating around and possessing our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher was bad enough. Imagine if he somehow managed to regain a body…"
Tonks shuddered. "Alright, but remember, you owe me." She grabbed Harry's hand to Apparate and noticed he was holding onto a dog. "What's with the dog?"
"He's my godfather," Harry explained.
"You're parents named a dog as your godfather?" Tonks asked skeptically.
"Well, my dad did at any rate. But then, you'll have to remember that my father and his friends are Fred and George's heroes."
"Bonkers, the whole lot of you…" Tonks muttered as she Apparated them to Diagon Alley. As it was dark, there weren't a lot of people out and about, although Harry suspected that the Leaky Cauldron was packed; it usually was anytime after five.
Tonks, Sirius, and Harry made their way to Gringotts. Once inside, Tonks transformed into Bellatrix Lestrange. The goblins didn't really care if she was supposed to be in Azkaban nor that she was a convicted murderess as the affairs of wizards never really interested them. When Tonks claimed she lost her key, the Goblins did a simple blood test which she passed, being a close relative of hers, and the Goblin on duty issued her a new key. As Bellatrix was in Azkaban and thus legally dead as was the head of the Black Family, Sirius, and Tonks was a relative of them both, she could have just laid claim to the vault herself, but Harry was afraid that that would make her a target and she hadn't even begun Auror training yet.
When they opened Bellatrix's vault door, Harry grabbed the Hufflepuff's cup and Tonks decided to liberate a bit of gold and some Black family heirlooms that had been part of Bellatrix's dowry but she was sure her mother would appreciate more than her reportedly headcase and imprisoned Aunt. Although how she was going to explain how she got them…Well, she could always blame it on Harry. He'd probably have a more convincing explanation anyway.
Immediately following leaving Gringotts, Harry had Tonks drop him and Sirius off at the Weasley's. Apparently Neville had stayed with them in June and Hermione had stayed for part of July, so it was just him. To his delight, Percy was downstairs playing chess with Ron when Harry got there. He was about an hour earlier than he said he'd be, but that really couldn't be helped, and what else was he supposed to do until it was ten? Ginny turned bright red when she was him and looked like she was wanted to bolt from the room, but refrained. There were improvements already. Now, to keep them coming…
----
Two weeks after arriving, it was time to go to Diagon Alley. Harry was incredibly anxious and hoped that he hadn't or wouldn't do anything to change events enough that Lucius pawned the diary off on someone else. He had to admit, he'd gotten rather used to knowing what was going to happen and he'd hate to lose it before he absolutely had to.
He'd had fun so far. He'd announced that Sirius was his new pet Padfoot and Sirius delighted in following the twins around and watching them prank people. He had made it a point to talk to Ginny whenever she happened to be in the room and even though it was an uphill struggle, she had slowly graduated from monosyllabic answers to short sentences. Harry might have accidentally suggested to the twins that Percy might be spending so much time by himself this summer as opposed to what he'd apparently done previous summers because he might have a girlfriend and the twins had jumped at the suggestion and kept insisting that Percy spend time with them, hoping he'd reveal something about his mystery girlfriend's identity. And if Harry didn't know better, he'd think Percy was enjoying driving the twins crazy with his cryptic answers on the subject.
Apparently the twins had taken his suggestion to teach Ginny as a challenge (as they had no idea that she'd ever been on a broom before) and had been pleasantly surprised to find out that she could outfly people twice her age (no one who played Quidditch, of course, but then, she was self-taught). Cedric had been over three times already and they had tons of fun playing three-on-three Quidditch (and Percy, of course, took the twin's distraction to retreat to his room to…study). Though he hadn't really known Cedric very well until they'd both been Hogwarts Champions, Harry found that he rather enjoyed the older boy's company and resolved to try and keep him alive this time.
Once at Diagon Alley, Harry convinced his friends to head to the Apothecary first so he could go and pick up his special-order Mandrake Restorative Draught. So maybe three dozen was a bit paranoid of him, but if there was one thing Hermione had taught him, it was that it never hurt to be prepared. Ron, Hermione, and Neville (who had arranged to go with the Weasley's when he'd stayed with them that summer) all looked at him strangely, but Harry's only comment was that his scar thought it was a good idea. He wondered briefly how long it would be before people thought he was crazy if he kept using that excuse to explain away his future knowledge.
Eventually, the Trio Plus Neville made their way to Flourish and Blotts. Harry tactfully suggested that the Weasley's only buy two book sets so that they could share them and Mrs. Weasley, though a bit embarrassed, seemed to think that it was a good idea.
Suddenly, Lockhart's photographer crashed into Ron. "Out of the way, there," he snarled. "This is for the Daily Prophet."
"Big deal," Ron muttered.
Lockhart looked up and saw Ron. Unfortunately, Harry was standing right next to him. He leapt to his feet and shouted, "It can't be Harry Potter?"
"Where?" Harry made a point of looking around, as if searching for himself.
"Aren't you Harry?" Gilderoy asked, confused.
"Nope," Harry said brightly.
"But…I…your scar…" Lockhart protested.
"Unfortunate cooking accident," Harry said shortly, repeating his story from the previous year.
"Then who are you?" Lockhart demanded.
"Draco Malfoy."
"Oh, well, let me give you a free set of books to make up for this unfortunate mix-up," Lockhart said, handing him a set of books. He then turned his attention back to his adoring fans.
"Here," Harry said, dumping the books into Ginny's cauldron. "Now you only need one set."
"But what about your books Harry?" Hermione asked.
"I don't intend to get them, Hermione."
"But…then how will you learn anything?" she demanded.
Harry snorted. "Please, it's not like I'm going to learn anything this year anyway. He's a fraud, remember?"
Hermione nodded reluctantly. It had taken quite some time to disabuse her of the notion that the Master Obliviator was a genius.
"Harry, why did you tell him you were-" Mrs. Weasley began.
"IT WAS YOU!" Draco Malfoy's voice rang out from behind him.
"Yes, Draco?" Harry asked politely.
"You started that rumor last year, didn't you?" Draco demanded. "The one about me being Snape's lovechild."
"Technically, Fred and George started that rumor," Harry pointed out. "But yeah, I did have a hand in it. To be fair, though, it's not like we were friends at the time."
"But you just brought it to people's attention again. What's your excuse this time?"
"I…" Harry shut his mouth abruptly. "I actually don't have one. Sorry."
Draco rolled his eyes. "And after I took the trouble of ordering Dobby to stay away from your mail, too…"
"Oh, please, that couldn't have taken more than a couple minutes," Harry shot back. "Although I do appreciate it."
"So, how ever did you manage to survive a summer with the Muggles? I mean, I'd imagine that would be even worse than a summer with the Weasley's," Draco said.
"Well, my aunt and cousin seem to hate me less than usual this year, but my uncle looked like he wanted to strangle me every time he came near me," Harry replied.
"Fun," Draco said sarcastically. "Remind me why you think Muggles are worth caring about again?"
"Because my relatives treat me about the equivalent of how Pureblood fanatics treat Muggles?" Harry suggested. "Minus the attempted murder?"
"Ron, quick, your mother's distracted by Lockhart, let's make our escape," Mr. Weasley said as he and the twins struggled over to them.
"Well, well, well – Arthur Weasley," Lucius Malfoy drawled.
Harry rolled his eyes. Good God, this was a chance meeting in a crowded bookstore, not an epic showdown in the Old West.
"Lucius," Arthur nodded, barely even pretending to be polite.
"Busy time at the Ministry, I hear. All those raids…I hope they're paying you overtime?" He reached into Ginny's cauldron and pulled out the brand-new copy of A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration (Harry had insisted on paying for their schoolbooks as they were putting him up for a month. Arthur and Molly had only agreed to this after he threatened to buy them all Nimbus 2001's instead. Who knew the way to beat an aversion to charity was to offer more charity?). "I guess they are. It's sad really how desperate you are for money that you would lower yourself to be a disgrace to the name of a wizard for a few extra galleons?"
"We have a very different idea of what disgraces the name of wizard, Malfoy," Arthur said.
"Clearly," Lucius said, his eyes straying towards the Grangers. "The company-"
"Personally, my definition of a disgrace to the name of wizard is anyone over the age of fifteen who can't cast a simple expelliarmus without dropping their wand," Harry piped up.
"Or someone who can't ride a broom without falling off," Draco added.
"Or someone who doesn't like Quidditch," was Ron's contribution.
That definitely broke the tension and the Malfoy's left without incident. Well, almost. Watching closely, Harry could see Lucius slipping the diary into Ginny's book. Too bad the fight had been averted, even if it was entirely Harry's doing, as he had been planning on betting Draco and the twins that Hagrid would win the fight between their fathers. Oh well.
----
When Harry and the Weasley's arrived back at the Burrow (after saying goodbye to the Grangers, who walked out into Muggle London, and Neville, who flooed home), everyone put their things in their room and Ron immediately challenged Harry to a game of chess. As Harry had accepted whenever Ron asked previously (following his theory that the more Ron beat Harry in chess the less of an inferiority complex he would have regarding him), he couldn't really think of an adequate reason to decline and go upstairs instead, and so was forced to play a match.
His heart really wasn't in it, though, and he played even worse than usual. The minute he lost, he practically flew up the stairs and into Ginny's room. He tore open her transfiguration book. Nothing. He looked through the rest of her school supplies. Nothing. He spent the rest of the afternoon searching through the whole house. Still nothing.
By nightfall, he was forced to come to one terrifying conclusion. The diary was gone. And so was Scabbers.